


you steal the air out of my lungs

by buddiebuddie



Series: white house AU [9]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eddie is sick and Buck is a softie, Fluff, M/M, President Evan Buckley, Special Agent Eddie Diaz, White House AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:08:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23390725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buddiebuddie/pseuds/buddiebuddie
Summary: “‘I’m fine.’Buck scoffs. ‘You know, I’m a little offended that you think I’m dumb enough to believe that.’Eddie opens his mouth to respond, but is cut off by Buck’s hand on his forehead. He pulls it back, brow furrowed. The frustration in his voice is gone, replaced with some combination of defeat and concern when he says, ‘Baby, you’re burning up.’”Eddie's fine. Really, he is. It’s just a cold. Besides, it’s not like the President’s Secret Service detail can take a day off.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: white house AU [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677313
Comments: 23
Kudos: 336





	you steal the air out of my lungs

**Author's Note:**

> part four! and once again, 1) it can stand alone 2) no beta and 3) title comes from don't take the money by bleachers & lorde
> 
> inspired by this amazing prompt from ShyAudacity: I love the idea of one of them being sick or something but having to power through it cause, you know, the president doesnt get a day off

Buck opens the double doors to the residence at exactly eight o’clock, shocked to see Eddie waiting beside them. He falters for a quick second. “What are you doing here?” Buck hisses, just as Eddie falls into step two paces behind him. 

“Working.”

“You’re sick,” Buck protests as they make their way down the long corridor and begin their walk to the West Wing. Bobby is holding the doors to the West Wing open, and greets him with a “Morning, sir.”

“Bobby!” Buck’s face lights up, pausing to talk to one of his favorite agents. He gives Bobby a high five, which turns into a hug. “How was your vacation?” 

“Amazing,” Bobby replies. “Glad to be back here, though.” 

“Well, I’m glad to have you back.” Buck smiles, clapping him on the shoulder. “Tell me about Hawai’i.”

Eddie has managed to slip away while Buck’s busy chatting with Bobby. By the time Buck makes it to the Oval Office, Eddie is outside the door, talking with Hen. 

“Special Agent Diaz,” Buck says as he approaches. He opens the door to the office and looks at Eddie expectantly. “A word.” 

Eddie glances at Hen before meeting Buck’s eyes. “Yes, sir.” He follows Buck into the office, closing the door behind them. 

“You shouldn’t be here,” Buck says, voice low. Concern is written across his face, his eyes pleading. Last night, the two of them were behind the closed doors of the residence at the end of Eddie’s shift. Buck had placed his hand on the back of Eddie’s neck with intentions of pulling him in for a goodnight kiss, only to be shocked at the heat his skin was throwing off. It was only then that Eddie admitted he wasn’t feeling great. Buck had insisted he stay home until he was back to himself. But if there’s anyone on this Earth who’s more stubborn than Evan Buckley, it’s Edmundo Diaz. 

“I’m fine,” Eddie insists. “Really, I am.”

“You’re not.”

“Mr. President, I--”

“Don’t you dare,” Buck hisses, cutting in. He steps over towards the window, where there’s a blind spot on the cameras. Eddie, stubborn as he can be, follows him over anyway. “Eddie,” Buck says quietly. 

“I’m fine.” Eddie says, despite knowing how untrue it is. His head is nothing but pressure, his eyes hot and his body wracked with chills. He knows he shouldn’t be here, knows that if roles were reversed, he’d never let Buck out of the residence like this. But it’s Capitol day– Buck has a full day of meetings in the Capitol building, meaning they’re taking the motorcade out and there will be tourists everywhere. Eddie has to be there to be the one beside him in the car, the one behind him in the Capitol halls. The world can’t stop because he isn’t feeling good.

“Fine is a four letter word.”

“Seriously, I’m okay.” Buck isn’t buying it. “Also a four letter word.”

“I promise.”

Buck scoffs. “You know, I’m a little offended that you think I’m dumb enough to believe that.”

Eddie opens his mouth to respond, but is cut off by Buck’s hand on his forehead. He pulls it back, brow furrowed. The frustration in his voice is gone, replaced with some combination of defeat and concern when he says, “Baby, you’re burning up.” 

Eddie shrugs. “So I’m a little under the weather. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“I’m not saying you can’t handle it, Eds. I’m saying you shouldn’t have to tough it out at work all day when you could be at home sleeping it off.”

“I was just out when Chris was sick,” Eddie replies. “I’ve been away too long. I should be here.”

Earlier in the week, Eddie was standing at the door when Buck walked into the cabinet room for a meeting. Hen was in his place when he walked out two hours later, and when he checked his phone, there were two texts from Eddie.

_ I had to run. I’m sorry. _

_ Christopher’s school just called and he’s sick. Shannon’s away so I’m heading over there now. Hen’s covering for the rest of the day.  _

Buck frowned.  **Take all the time you need,** he had replied.  **Give him a hug from me and let me know if I can do anything.**

It was three days before Chris was well enough to go back to school and Eddie came back to work. And now, on Eddie’s second day back at work, Buck’s concerns from last night are validated as it becomes apparent that Eddie’s come down with what his son had. His skin is on fire beneath Buck’s touch, his eyes glassy. “Go home,” Buck says quietly. It’s not a question. 

Eddie shakes his head. “I can’t take a day off. Not again. Besides, it’s Capitol day, so we’re taking the motorcade out. I should be here.” 

“Eddie.” 

“Sick days don’t exist inside these walls.” 

“They do, and you’re taking one.” Buck brings a hand to Eddie’s hair, smoothing it out. “Probably two, actually,” he adds. 

Eddie opens his mouth to argue, but Buck cuts him off. “Not up for discussion,” he says. “Go home. Rest. Come back when you feel good, not when you feel like you can push through.”

Eddie sighs, knowing he’s lost this battle. He nods reluctantly. “Okay.”

Buck smiles, taking his face in his hands. He tilts Eddie’s head up enough that he’s able to press a kiss to his forehead. “Get out of here,” he says, nodding towards the door.

Later, after his Capitol obligations are done and his dinner meeting is finished, Buck pulls Bobby aside. He explains his plan, waiting with bated breath until Bobby nods, giving it the okay. 

It’s almost 8:00 by the time the motorcade pulls into the White House garage and Buck climbs out of the presidential car and into a black Suburban. Bobby joins him, getting behind the wheel. Hen climbs into another car, and Chim joins her. The sun has since gone down, the D.C. streets quiet as they make their way downtown. 

The knock on the door startles Eddie. He gets off the couch, where he had been flipping through channels and falling in and out of sleep for the better half of the evening. He shuts the TV off and walks over to the door. He peers through the peephole, his breath catching in his throat. He unlocks the door quickly, swinging it open to find none other than the President of the United States standing in the hallway. Hen and Chim are standing on either side of the door, facing out into the hall. 

“What are you doing here?” he asks quietly. Then, louder: “I  _ know _ my agents know better than to take you off site like this without my permission.” Sure, Buck’s been over here plenty of times. But Eddie’s always been in on it, either sneaking Buck out himself or being the one to coordinate the expedition away from the walls of the White House. 

“Well, they don’t really say no to me,” Buck says, a smug look on his face. “Plus, aren’t you the one who said it’s arguably safer here than it is at the White House?” 

“I…” Eddie falters. Buck has him there. 

“He sure did,” Hen can’t bite her tongue any longer. “Something about no one knowing to look here.” 

“Ahh, yes. Hiding in plain sight,” Chimney adds. 

“Alright,” Eddie gives up. “If you two want to be employed this time tomorrow, you’ll zip it. Get in here, Buckley” he says, stepping to the side so Buck can come in.

He closes the door behind them, leaving Hen and Chim to watch the hallway. Buck nods in the direction of Christopher’s bedroom, raising an eyebrow. Eddie shakes his head. “Shannon has him until Sunday,” he says. “What are you doing here?”

“Wanted to check on you.” Buck says, placing his hands on Eddie’s hips. Eddie melts into his touch, letting out a quiet sigh. It’s only been a day, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t spend it longing to be by Buck’s side. “How are you, baby?” he asks, bringing a hand up to Eddie’s forehead. 

Eddie doesn’t get a chance to answer before Buck is frowning, taking his hand away. “Still running a fever,” Buck says, walking past Eddie into the kitchen. “You didn’t take anything?” 

Eddie shakes his head. It’s then that he notices the pharmacy bag in his hands. His chest goes tight, a wave of love rushing over him as he realizes he made a special stop on the way over. “Suspected as much,” Buck says, pulling out a bottle of Tylenol, two yellow Gatorades, and a bag of cheddar Goldfish. “For later,” he says, sliding the Goldfish and Gatorade away from the medicine. “I know you probably don’t have an appetite now, but once that fever breaks you will. And what better than your favorites?” 

Eddie’s chest squeezes once more, overcome with love for the man standing in front of him. He can’t remember ever explicitly telling Buck that yellow Gatorade and cheddar Goldfish are his favorite foods when he’s sick, yet somehow he knew. Just when Eddie thinks he has him figured out, Buck still manages to amaze him. 

Buck crosses the room and pulls a glass down from one of the cabinet shelves. He fills it with water, then opens the bottle of Tylenol and shakes two pills out. He leans back against the island, passing Eddie the glass of water with one hand, the two red pills in the outstretched palm of his other. 

Eddie takes them without a word, swallowing them down before placing the glass down on the island behind Buck. 

He wraps his arms around Buck’s waist, resting his head on the president’s chest. Buck holds him close, pressing a kiss into his hair. “I’m glad you’re here,” Eddie mumbles into the lapel of his suit jacket. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad I’m here, too,” Buck replies. He means it. He spent his day worrying about Eddie, wondering if he was actually resting, hoping he was taking something to knock out his fever. He had texted him on the way to the Capitol to check in. 

**You’re resting, yes?**

Eddie replied with a picture of his legs outstretched on the couch, a movie playing on his TV. Buck had smiled to himself, pocketing his phone and stepping out of the car to start his whirlwind of an afternoon. 

Now, with the stress of Capitol day long since over, Buck breathes in the familiar scent of Eddie’s shampoo, rubbing soothing circles into his back. He can feel his fever burning through his thin tee shirt, though if the goosebumps on his arms are any indication, Eddie’s feeling anything but warm. 

Buck leads him to his bedroom, helping him get beneath the blankets. He kicks his shoes off, then tugs off his suit jacket, laying it across the foot of the bed. He climbs in bed right beside Eddie, wrapping his arms around him. 

Eddie curls into Buck’s chest, tucking his head beneath the taller man’s chin in an attempt to steal as much of his warmth as possible. “Tell Hen and Chim they’re not fired,” Eddie mumbles. “Not if they bring you to me every night.”

Buck grins. “Okay, I’ll tell them.”

Eddie’s asleep within minutes. Buck blinks, glancing around the room. The street lamp outside Eddie’s window throws the faintest bit of light into the room through the cracks in the blinds. It’s just enough to see the rhythmic rise and fall of Eddie’s chest– though even if he couldn’t see it, Buck feels his body moving beneath his hands, hears the soft sounds of his breath as he falls deeper into the sleep he so desperately needs. 

Buck slips out of bed after a few more minutes, grabbing his jacket and pulling his shoes back on. He leaves two more Tylenol on the nightstand, alongside Eddie’s half-full glass of water from before. “Love you,” he whispers, leaning over and pressing a kiss to the top of Eddie’s head. 

As he walks to the car with Hen and Chim, he thinks about their banter earlier about the safety of Eddie’s apartment. 

He thinks back to how he felt just moments ago. Laying there, his arms around the man he loves, the weight and warmth of Eddie’s body on the mattress beside him, their feet tangled beneath the blankets – it felt like home. Looking up at Eddie’s apartment as the Suburban pulls away from the curb, he decides that whether Eddie’s right or not, he certainly feels safer here than anywhere else. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading :) 
> 
> feel free to leave me prompts for what you want to see in this verse-- i have more time than usual these days because of coronavirus and i've been really motivated to write so fire away!


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